ReStelvio 2017 MAPEI

The XXXIII edition of the Re Stelvio cycle race was held in Bormio among the Valtellina mountains, on Sunday, 9^th July and Mapei was the Main Sponsor.

With almost 3,000 competitors enrolled to take part, this classic sports event was as popular as ever with all the athletes taking part from lots of different European countries. The race, which is truly unique of its kind, is not just the mountain climb inevitably associated with the Tour of Italy: it is also an iconic climb for all cyclists making their own pilgrimage up this sacred mountain. And for Mapei it is a very special event in the world of sport.

Once again this year, the pure mountain air mixed with that healthy “Mapei atmosphere” encouraging everybody to put themselves to the test and really dig deep.

A peaceful challenge for tranquil minds in the serene atmosphere of the natural surroundings up in the high mountains: shades of green mixed with the blue of gentian, pinkish-grey rocks, occasionally accompanied by the sound of crashing waterfalls and the odd bird of prey, all set against the still and silent backdrop of distant glaziers. You really do feel like you are crossing through boundless space, but then everything suddenly changes when you reach the mountain pass. The weather is cold, the currents are stronger and the air so rarefied that the finishing positions of the competitors often changes dramatically over the last few kilometres as the altitude rises to over 2,500 metres.

It is no coincidence that once again last year the key stage of the centenary edition of the Tour of Italy (the stage won by Vincenzo Nibali) ended in Bormio on 23^rd May after crossing Stelvio Pass at an attitude of 2758 metres. Ever since 1965, the highest altitude reached by the cyclists in each edition of the Tour of Italy is referred to as the “Coppi Summit”, although, even nowadays, it is inevitably Stelvio Pass that comes to mind when you think about the “Coppi Summit”: it is, in fact, the highest altitude the Tour of Italy has ever reached in its hundred-year history.

A THOUSAND CUSTOMERS, A THOUSAND FRIENDS OF MAPEI

Almost 1000 Mapei customers and friends from Italy and abroad signed up to take part in the Re Stelvio event through the Mapei website.

The Re Stelvio Mapei competitive cycling race was the key event. The other sports events included the Mapei Aldo Sassi Memorial fun ride in memory of the deceased co-founder of the Mapei Sport Centre, the half marathon, and the foot race open to everybody.

Mapei’s presence filled the air all the way up the “Queen of Alpine roads” (a 21-km climb zigzagging almost rhythmically along 40 switchbacks for a total height gain of 1533 metres) for an entire weekend, even in Bormio city centre.

The event - with this year’s mascot, a deer, appearing on all the commemorative jerseys - was organised by the Unione Sportiva Bormiese association in partnership with the Mapei Sports Centre. The event was sponsored by Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio, Banca Popolare di Sondrio, Pirovano (Sky University), Colnago and Santini.

This was a great publicity opportunity for Mapei. The event was filmed and broadcast on Bike Channel (Sky channel 214) and Mapei received plenty of publicity during the 16 separate showings with its billboards appearing at both the beginning and end of the programme.

The Mapei Sport Research Centre in Olgiate Olona, whose expert technicians attended the event in Bormio, published training tables for cyclists and runners so that everybody planning to take part in the event could prepare properly. The training plans covered the period from the beginning of May until race day.

RE STELVIO MAPEI AND THE “ALDO SASSI” FUN RIDE

After just two switchbacks you are out of Bormio’s bustling city centre and in the midst of unblemished, fresh nature where you can breeze truly pure. Wide and well-surfaced roads are left behind as you enter the tiny narrow tunnels cut into rock.

You climb past waterfalls along the river that flows out of glaziers against the backdrop of the Ortles and Gran Zebrù inside the National Park.

Endless stretches of road running along the mountainside alternating with a tangle of switchbacks and steep slopes, where it is hard to keep up your pace. Some people grit their teeth and keep going, somebody had to walk and others give up. Only one thing counts for everybody, to get to the finish. Facts and figures aside, the Stelvio Pass is all this: unique sensations making this a very special climb it gets more and more exciting as you pedal up the mountainside for over 20 km.

The men’s race was won by Riccardo Romani (Alta Valtellina Bike) for the second year in a row with a time of 1h:04’:50”.50, beating his personal best by 40” and finishing ahead of Andrea Acquistapace (Velo Sondriese), who finished 54”70 behind, and Federico Brevi (Team Paredi) +1’33”50 behind the winner.

The women’s race was won by Emily Collinge riding for the Postalesio Club, who came home in a time of 1h:11’:23”.40. Emily is actually a mountain runner, but also a great cyclist.

Christina Rausch, who won last year’s race, came second +14”90 behind the winner and Marta Binda (Cellar Team Tredici) came third.

The men’s winner of the “Aldo Sassi” fun rider was Franciszek Rzasa in a time of 01h:16’:57”.90, ahead of Adriano Berera and Jan Elantkowski. First home in the women’s race was Arianna Manzoni in a time of 1h:32’:53”.40.

FUN RIDE WITH ASSISTED PEDAL POWER

This year’s event was even more inclusive than ever: under the slogan “+ Stelvio x tutti” (More Stelvio for everybody), a non-competitive fun ride for bicycles with assisted pedal power was added to this year’s schedule.

It was decided to allow this new type of increasingly popular bike to take part in the event to allow anybody keen to spend a few hours outdoors in the open air in some quite incomparable settings, most notably his majesty “King Stelvio Pass”, to ride up to the summit of the legendary “Cima Coppi” on their own with just a little bit of assistance.

FIDAL HALF MARATHON AND FUN RUN

The winner of the Fidal men’s half marathon was the same as last year with Giuseppe Molteni (Daini Carate) finishing in a time of 1h:36’53”20, ahead of Massimiliano Zanaboni - 01:39’:06”.50 - and Loris Mandelli, 1h:39’:51”.7). The winner of the women’s half marathon was also the same as last year, Ivana Iozzia (1h:50’:46”:90), who finished 12^th overall in a race she stars in every year.

The amateur fun run was won by Mirco Quadrio in 2h: 08’:15”:70, ahead of Ivan Caron and Tommaso Alberti; the first woman home was Lidia Greco, who finished sixth.

13° MAPEI GOLF TROPHY

The Re Stelvio Mapei weekend also included the traditional golf competition held on Bormio Golf Club’s “La Fornace” course. The 13^th Mapei Trophy using the Stableford scoring system with 4 balls (best ball counting).

Ambrogio Picozzi and Edoardo Schiantarelli won the gross-score competition with 37 points.

Mattia Moretti and Alessandro Tomasi won the net-score competition with 43 points.

Moreno Poggioli and Roberto Bono came second with 42 points.

A number of other prizes were awarded to: Laura Squinzi and Santino Luigi Bellotti (leading senior team) and also Antonio Crippa and Giovanni Mussi (1^st and 2^nd net scores in Mapei’s first category competition), Luigi Locatelli e Marcello Zamboni (2^nd in Mapei’s second category competition).